Page 2 | Assements at 3 - what do you think?

shinyredbus · 2017-06-19T15:39:27+00:00

Hi everyone, I'm wondering why every one thinks of this. My daughter got turned down for a selective prep and I'm feeling a bit sad. I mean is it to differentiate between the bright children and less bright? Is here some correlation? Is this quite common in the UK? She's been accepted into another prep which is wonderful - but I can't help but feel bad for her - it's almost like I failed her a little. Sorry - I'm just feeling a bit down!

MarzipanPiggy · 21/06/2017 19:57

One of mine got into a selective prep, the other didn't (different schools). I would say they're both bright (as any parent would ) but DS (DC2) who passed the assessment is definitely more compliant, attentive, calm and focused. DD is imaginative but quite wild.

Funnily enough we are now inclined not to take up DS's place as we love the warm low pressure non-selective prep DD ended up going to.

jeanne16 · 21/06/2017 21:06

20 years ago my DD failed the 4+ at a selective Indie. I was ridiculously upset about it for months afterwards. Fast forward a few years, she got into a selective Indie at 7+ and graduated from Cambridge University 2 years ago. My DS also failed the 3+ entrance for a selective prep school. This time I was prepared for it so was less bothered. He is sitting his A levels and has a Cambridge offer for one of the most competitive courses.

Both schools that rejected my DCs got rid of some of their pupils along the way as they were struggling. It is quite obvious they can't select accurately. From what I can see, they pick the children who are chatty on the assessment day. They cannot assess the quieter, shyer ones so they are rejected.

Nordicwannabe · 21/06/2017 22:10

The schools don't need to select the best x children: they just need to select x children who will fit in, be easy to teach, and get good results - with as few 'false positives' who don't work out as possible.

Conversely, it doesn't impact them at all if they turn down 'false negatives' who would have succeeded just as well as those who did get an offer. The school won't even realise that has happened. And given the number of clever children who apply, they don't really need to be that accurate.

So I reckon that if your DC does get a place at one of these schools, it probably does mean they are pretty bright. But I don't think that missing out on an offer says much at all about their future potential!

In 6 months time, you can try again with 4+ if you like. Your DD will have grown and changed, she may well have come into herself a bit, and you will have a slightly clearer idea of what she will be like and which schools might suit her. Only slightly clearer, because 4 is still tiny!

Nordicwannabe · 21/06/2017 22:10

The schools don't need to select the best x children: they just need to select x children who will fit in, be easy to teach, and get good results - with as few 'false positives' who don't work out as possible.

Conversely, it doesn't impact them at all if they turn down 'false negatives' who would have succeeded just as well as those who did get an offer. The school won't even realise that has happened. And given the number of clever children who apply, they don't really need to be that accurate.

So I reckon that if your DC does get a place at one of these schools, it probably does mean they are pretty bright. But I don't think that missing out on an offer says much at all about their future potential!

In 6 months time, you can try again with 4+ if you like. Your DD will have grown and changed, she may well have come into herself a bit, and you will have a slightly clearer idea of what she will be like and which schools might suit her. Only slightly clearer, because 4 is still tiny!

nocampinghere · 23/06/2017 17:43

she still cannot sit still

this was probably the reason... sorry to say. but who wants a not even 3 year old who just wants to sit at a table and read/do puzzles all day?!

cheeseandtoastie · 26/06/2017 18:17

kittens post is stop on - bravo - stop the madness op and let's face it you child is so young you can stop it all before it starts.

JustRichmal · 27/06/2017 08:38

A disproportionate number of children from private schools do get into top universities, so the education does make a difference.

Lotsofsighing · 27/06/2017 09:39

I think the worst thing about these assessments is they can't help but influence parents' thinking. If their child gets in, they're suddenly 'academic' which narrows down their future development. If they don't, parents start thinking 'well maybe a gentler school would suit them more' or 'they fidget therefore they're tricky' or, 'it's fine, there's more to life than academia'. One woman, seriously, told me that it was like getting into Oxbridge. Her daughter then had real problems with not being quite as compliant as the school would wish.

I disagree with PP who says that the children who get into these schools at a young age are bright. The only thing that can be said with any certainty is that these children have no evident special needs at the age of 2 or 3. They may well be bright and at the very least they have supportive, involved parents, but beyond that you just can't tell at such an early age.